Lubricating device



June 24, A. J PFAFF Er AL LUBRICATING DEVICE Filed Sept. 22, 1927 Patented June 24, 1930 unrrso STATES PATENT OFFICE 'ANDREW J". PFAFF, OF ST. LOUIS, AND JOHN A. DRIY AND CHARLES J. SINNILNG, OF WEBSTER GROVES, MISSOURI, ASSIGNORS TO THE EMERSON ELECTRIC MFG. (10., OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI LUBRICATING DEVICE Application filed September 22, 1927.

This invention relates to improvements in lubricating devices, and consists in the novel construction hereinafter disclosed.

Primarily, the object of the invention is to provide a construction particularly adapted for incorporation in an oscillating fan, whereby the mounting for the armature core is lubricated by causing the lubricant to circulate across the bearing of the armature'core, and to be returned by means of a construction which includes as an element the drive shaft for the oscillating mechanism.

Generally, the invention consists in improvements in lubricating devices that have general application, and the objects of the invention in its broader aspect are to simplify and improve lubricating devices in which there is a rotating member mounted on a hollow shaft, with provision for causing the lubricant to circulate across the bearing of the rotating member and to return through the hollow shaft.

The advantages of the construction will be readily apparent from the following detailed description thereof,taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig, 1 is a longitudinal section through the construction.

Fig.2 is a cross section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the coil spring utilized as a return conveyor for the lubricant.

In the drawing the invention is shown as embodied in a fan construction of the oscillating type. As illustrated, the construction includesa support 1, shown in the drawing as a portion of the end plate of the oscillating mechanism housing. It will be understood that, in an oscillatingfan construction, the oscillating mechanism housing, of which the end plate forms a part, is connected with the motor housing which, in

turn, is supported by a base or bracket. The end plate of'the oscillating mechanism housing, therefore, provides a convenient support into which is fitted a tubular shaft 2, and said shaft extends forwardly in the fan Serial No. 221,315.

construction through the axis of the motor housing, the front wall of which is indicated at 3. This shaft 2 has, at itsinner end, a drive fit in an opening in a boss of the end plate 1, and, therefore, is non-rotatable. It is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed openings 4 located within the opening in the boss of the end plate 1, and a lubricant conduit 5 extends through the end plate and registers with the upper end of the openings 4. It will be understood that the lubricant conduit may be provided, at its upper end, with an oil cup for the introduction of the lubricant. also provided with additional pairs of openings numbered respectively 6 and 7. Said openings 6 are spaced a short distance forwardly of the openings 4, and beyond the front face of the plate 1. The openings 7 are disposed near the forward end of the shaft 2;

An armature core 8 is fitted over the shaft 2, an armature 9 being carried by a central enlarged portion of the armature core 8. In mounting the armature core on the shaft 2, a pair of washers 10 are preferably interposed between the inner end of the core, and the face of the boss on the plate 1 to take the thrust and reduce the end play of the armature when rotated.

The inner surface of the hub of the armature core has a channel 11 cut therein, which channel registers with the openings 6 of the shaft 2. The bore through the armature core is also provided with a spiral groove 12 that extends from the channel. 11 forwardly to the front end of the armature core 8. The bore of the armature core is also formed so that its central portion has a diameter slightly in excess of the end portions thereof, providing a relieved section 13 to reduce the friction between the bore of the armature core and the shaft 2, permitting the core to have bearing with the shaft 2 at its end sections only.

The construction is such that the lubricant introduced through the conduit 5 is forced forwardly from the openings 4 through the hollow bore of the shaft 2 and outwardly through the openings 6 into the channel 11.

The said shaft 2 is .closed hollow cap is screwed .onto the threaded portion v15 of the hub .14, and a tight joint is effected by interposmgagasket or washer 17 between the end of the member 16 and a shoulder formed on the armature core at the base of the hub section 14 thereof. The internal portionc'ofthe-fan: hub 16.constitutes a well into which the lubricant is forced from the spiral groove 12.

It is noted that the fan blades, sections of which are shown at l8, are carried by the hub 16. It is also noted that it is preferred that the screw connection'between the-'li-ub 16 and the threaded portion "15 is ascrew connection opposite tothe direction of T0- tat-ion ofthe fan to prevent the fan hub from loosening from thearmature core.

A shaft 19 extends through the bore of the shaft 2 and its inner section is supported in a bushing 20" that threads into the inner end of the shaft 2. The-shaft19-extends backwardly through the end plate 1 andis the actuating shaft for the oscillating'mechanism. The forward endofsaidshaft19; has a flattened port-ion- 21*that fits into a rec tangular opening in a plate 22-supported near'the base of therecessin-the lmb 16. Therefore, it is obvious that the-shaft19 will rotate with the fan hub.

A return conveyor for the lubricant in the form of a spirally wound wire, the 3 form of which is particularly shown in f Fig. i), is mounted over the shaft 19. By reference to Fig. 3 it will be notedthat the'front section 23 of the springhas relatively-wide spaces between thespirals, and that the spirals are developed to convey the lnbricant' from the forward end of the shafttowards the rear end thereof to a point, when assembled, that approximatelyregisters with the openings 6. The rear section 24 ofthespring isreversely wound, and the spirals are more closely developed.

The action of this construction is to convey the lubricant :forced into the well formed by the recess in the hub 16 backwardlyjto a'pointwhereit is moved outwardly through -=the openings '6 and into the groove '11. Any lubricant' that passes beyond the openings 6 is moved outwardly toward said openings by the spiral section 24- of thespring. Thus, the lubricant is preventedfrom working out from the'end of the shaft 2. It should be notedthat the spring is so connected with the shaft 19 that it rotates therewith.

Inorder to prevent the accumulation of the lubricant around'the walls of the well formed by the recess in the hub '16, a'wiper is provided, which wiper includes a hub 25 and a wing or blade 26, the edge of which is beveled to lie adjacent to the wall of the recess in the member 16. The wiper is mounted onthe-end ofz'theshaft 2 screwingthe hub thereof on'the threaded end of said shaft. The wiper, therefore, remains stationary and the hub 16 revolves about said wiper, thereby causing the accumulated layer or film'of lubricantto be wiped "from the wall of the recess in the member 16 and carried-toward the center of the recess in thehub 16, where it is caught up by the spiral conveyor, and then moved rearwardly. The hub of the wiper also serves as a retaming-nut to hold the armature core in assembled relation with its supporting shaft 2.

It will be noted that, since the forward end of the sarmature'core lies adj acent to the:

stationary I wiper hub and, since there i is a relative rotary motion between these elements, washers '27 are preferably interposed between the inner face of thewiperhnbaird the endof the-armature core, said washers being preferably 'set' in a recess in the end of said armature core.

From the foregoing it will be noted that an extremely efficient lubricant circulating device hasjbeen:provided,--and that the parts are -so assembled that there will 'be -practi- 'cally no loss of the l-ubricant,.but that'it will continue to circulate across the' bea'ri-ng surfaces iii-such a manneras toobtainithe "full lubricating effect thereof.

lVe are-aware that the invention :i-nay be modified in numerous partictilars-and that its applicability may extend itoother noonstruct-ions than-'thespecific embodiment illustrated and described. We I tlo not limit ourselves, therefore, to the exact construction shown and described, but What-avecla-im and desire to secure by Letters Patent is A deviceof the class described comprising a hollow shaft, a revoluble member -mo-untod on-sai'd shaftyinea ns fomni-ngla lubricating conduit communicating with "said shaft, meansfor moving the. lubricant? along the exterior of sai'd shaft in one direction,

and a conveyor for returning the lubricantthrough the boreof said shaft.

2. A device ofthe class described oomprising a hollow stationary shaft, a member revolubly mounted on said shaft, sa-id memberhavingaspiral-groove in its bore adjacent to said shaft for moving a lub'ricant along the surface thereof, means forming 1 a lubricant supply conduit in communication with said shaft, and a conveyor for returning the lubricant through the bore-of said shaft.

8. A device of the class described comprisa hollow stationary l shaft, =-a inember-revolubly mounted on "said shaft,- said member having a spiral 'groove in itsbore adj acent to said shaft for moving a lubricant along the surface thereof, means forming a lubricant supply conduit in communication with said shaft, and a spiral conveyor mounted within the bore of said shaft for returning the lubricant thererhrough.

4. A device of the class described comprising a hollow shaft having spaced openings through the wall thereof, means for admitting lubricant from an external source to one of said openings, a member revolubly mounted on said shaft, means for moving the lubricant along said shaft comprising a spiral groove between the shaft and the revoluble member, and means for returning the lubricant through the bore of said shaft, said means con'iprising an internal revoluble shaft and a spiral conveyor mounted on said internal shaft.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a hollowshaft having a plurality of spaced openings through the wall thereof, a member revolubly mounted on said shaft, said member having a lubricant receiving channel and a spiral groove communicating therewith, a lubricant supply conduit, an internal shaft mounted within said hollow shaft, said internal shaft being revoluble with said revoluble member, a spirally wound wire carried by said internal shaft having a section of spirals for conveying the lubricant rearwardly of said shaft, and a section conveying the lubricant forwardly of said shaft, and a capforming a well at the end of said revoluble member and said shaft.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a hollow shaft having a plurality of spaced openings through the wall thereof, a member revolubly mounted on said shaft, said member having a lubricant receiving channel and a spiral groove cornmunicating therewith, lubricant supply conduit, internal shaft mounted within said hollow shaft, said internal shaftbeing revoluble with. said revoluble member, a spirally wound wire carried by said internal shaft having a section of spirals for conve ing the lubricant rearwa-rdly of said shaft, and a section conveying the lubricant forwardly of said shaft, a cap forming a well at the end of said revoluble member and said shaft, and a wiper device carried by said shaft for removing the lubricant from the wall of said well.

7. In an oscillating fan mechanism, a lubricating device comprising a hollow shaf" supported by the fan structure, an arma ture core revolubly mounted on said shaft,

armature core having a lubricant receiving channel and a spiral groove communicating therewith, a drive shaft for the oscillating mechanism located within said hollow shaft, a spiral conveyor carried by said drive shaft, and means for admitting a lubricant to the internal and external surfaces of said hollow shaft.

8. In an oscillating fan mechanism, a lubricating device comprising a stationary hollow shaft having a plurality of spaced passages through the wall thereof, a lubricant inlet conduit communicating through selected ones of said passages with the bore of said shaft, an armature core having lubricant receiving grooves for receiving and advancing the lubricant across the bearing surfaces of said core, and means for causing the return circulation of the lubricant through the bore of said hollow shaft.

9. In an oscillating fan mechanism, a lubricating device comprising a stationary hollow shaft having a plurality of spaced passages through'the wall thereof, a lubricant inlet conduit communicating through selected ones of said passages with the bore of said shaft, an armature core having lubricant receiving grooves for receiving and advancing the lubricant across the bearing surfaces of said core, means for causing the return circulation of the lubricant through the bore of said hollow shaft, said means including an internal shaft disposed within said hollow shaft, and a spirally wound conveyor supported by and rotating with said shaft.

10. In an oscillating fan mechanism, a lubricating device comprising a stationary hollow shaft having a plurality of spaced passages through the wall thereof, a lubricant inlet conduit communicating through selected ones of said'passages with the bore of said shaft, an armature core having lubricant receiving grooves for receiving and advancing the lubricant across the bearing surfaces of said core, and means for causing the return circulation of the lubricant through the bore of said hollow shaft, said means including an internal shaft disposed within said hollow shaft, and a spirally wound conveyor having oppositely disposed spirals for returning the lubricant to the lubricant receiving grooves in said armature core.

11. In an oscillating fan construction, a lubricating device comprising a hollow shaft, an armature core revolubly supported by said shaft, a fan hub connected with said armature core having an internal recess therein, means for admitting lubricant to the space between the armature core and said shaft and for advancing said lubricant along said space into said fan hub, a wiper device for removing the lubricant from the walls of the recess in said fan hub, and means for returning the lubricant through the bore of said hollow shaft. 7

12. In a device of the class described, the combination of a hollow shaft having an opening through the wall thereof adapted to allow the passage of lubricant, a member revolubly mounted on said shaft, an internal shaft :mounted :within said hollow shaft, said internal shaftibeing'revoluble with said revoluble member, anda spirally Wound wire carried by said internal shaft having a section of spirals Wound in one directionifor- Ward of said opening in theshaft wall and Wound in the opposite direction rearwardly of'said opening.

13. In a device of-the class described,-the combination of a hollowshaft havinga plurality of spaced openings through the Wall thereof, a member revolubly mounted on said shaft, said member having a lubricant receiving channel registering with one of said openings and a spiral groove communicating with said channel, a lubricant supply conduit in communication with another of said openings, an internal shaft mounted Within said-hollow shaft and revoluble With 'said -member, a spirally Wound wire carried by said internal shaft having a section of spirals for conveying the lubricant forward from the lubricant-supply conduit to the opening communicating with the lubricant receiving channel and another section reversely Wound for-conveying the lubricant rearwardly to the opening communicating with the lubricant receiving channel, and'means of com- 'munication between theforwardend ofthe spiral groove and the hollow shaft.

.ANDREVV-J. PFAFF.

JOHNVA. DRIY. CHARLES J. SINNING. 

